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The Carpet People

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The Carpet People
First 1971 edition
AuthorTerry Pratchett
Original titleThe Carpet People
Cover artistTerry Pratchett
LanguageEnglish
GenreComic Fantasy
PublisherColin Smythe
Publication date
1971, 1992
Publication placeUnited Kingdom
Pages199
ISBN978-0-919366-14-5

The Carpet People is a comic fantasy novel by British writer Terry Pratchett. First published in 1971 and written when Pratchett was 17 years old, it was later re-written by the author when his work became more widespread and well-known.[1][2][3] In the Author's Note of the revised edition, published in 1992, Pratchett wrote: "This book had two authors, and they were both the same person."[4][5]

The Carpet People contains a similar mix of humour and serious topics like war, death and religion, which later became a major part of the Discworld series.[2] Before creating the Discworld, Pratchett wrote about two different flat worlds, first in this novel, and then in the novel Strata.[3]

Characters

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  • Glurk, chief of the Munrungs
  • Snibril, Glurk's younger brother
  • Pismire, the wise man of the Munrung tribe
  • Bane, a Dumii general
  • Brocando, King of the Deftmenes
  • Fray, a natural phenomenon wreaking havoc on the Carpet
  • Mouls, a power-hungry species
  • Wights, who remember the future
  • Camus Cadmes

Themes

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The book explores the conflict between traditions and innovation. There is an established civilization, complete with bureaucrats, taxation, and permits; there are people who resent the establishment; there is a need for both groups to find common ground in order to save their collective civilization.

References

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  1. ^ "The carpet people, 1971 . - British Library". explore.bl.uk. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
  2. ^ a b Terry, PRATCHETT. "The Carpet People". School Library Journal. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
  3. ^ a b Flood, Alison (20 April 2021). "Terry Pratchett's debut turns 50: 'At 17 he showed promise of a brilliant mind'". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
  4. ^ Terry Pratchett (1992). The Carpet People. Doubleday. p. 9. ISBN 9780385403047. OL 7439575M.
  5. ^ "The carpet people, 1992 . - British Library". explore.bl.uk. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
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